A Small Success

It has been quite a looooong time since my last post. A lot has happened in the past few months, but here I will start by doing some catching up.

Although I say a lot has happened, the bulk of the time was however, spent in much of a routine-like way as most human lives are spent I guess. Wake up, go to school/work, blah blah blah, get back home, read or watch tv, sleep, then repeat. This is how most of us live because, I am compelled to conclude, humans really are very habitual creatures. Force yourself to break a 10 or 20-year habit right away, and you will know what I mean (makes you feel uncomfortable right?). Of course, there are variants in our daily routines or rather, occasional events that make us alter our schedule as there was with me. However, for now I will only describe the basic routine that I went through as a student in a Malaysian matriculation program.

Wake up at 7a.m. when the alarm rings, and by no means earlier even if your roommate's KFC alarm keeps cockle-doodle-ing and the other roommate's cellphone makes a big annoyance of itself by ringing every 10 minutes or so. Do not get up to turn these off either. Make your way to the toilet with your toothbrush in hand and start brushing. If you find the water resources have been monopolized by the excessive bathing of the almost 200 people in the block, fear not, the tank water is probably not yet depleted. So get a pail if you are insistent on flushing the toilet. Probably around 7.20a.m. the intercom will start to spout songs praising Allah or some other related songs (beats me what they were talking about =.=).Get back to your room and snack on some biscuits. Go into the corridor outside to get some hot water from the kettle if you feel like drinking Milo or tea.

8a.m. is fast approaching so change into your formal wear and join the hundreds of people walking to attend class. Usually the first hour or two are lectures, so head for DK4. Walk up the stairs and sit beside the same person you sit to everyday because it feels weird sitting next to others. Next, start listening to the lecture while complaining to your friend about how boring it is or just start daydreaming. Another option is to complete your burdensome tutorials while feeling guilty about not paying attention( laugh if you like, I really did feel guilty..lol).

Lectures over, part ways with your lecture-friends and join your classmates(meaning going into a smaller class of about 20 students). Attend tutorials or complete experiments together. Cheer silently when it's 12p.m. because you get to eat lunch and meet up with close friends! Then go back for another round of tutorials/lectures at 2p.m. before you are freed from obligations at 5p.m. Relief!

Trudge back to your room and get a bath, then contemplate whether to finish some more homework or go for some exercise. If not up to it yet, then just get a little nap in first. When hungry, eat dinner and watch a movie or drama on your lappy. ( sorry to say that was the highlight of the day >.<) Lastly, just study the night away and go to sleep. If bored, go to friend's room and kacau kacau a bit, talk and complain( Yes, I complain a lot sometimes.. sorry fellow sufferers)

So, that is basically what I did for the past 11 months. Sounds boring? Oh it sure was. Yet, I did get something out of it in the end I hope. In spite of everything, there were definitely some good times spent there.  I did go out with friends numerous times too, which were awesome to say the least.

I am quite sure everyone was very happy to leave when the last paper was over on that last day. Why? Maybe because it felt too much like a never-ending boot camp for us? or maybe we just wanted to be free again? Well, there were many reasons I suppose. Thus, it felt like a big accomplishment for us, I think, that we were actually able to complete this program as we did. At least, it was one for me. Congrats everyone on our success!